As we’ve been reporting for you here, Hillary Swank and Meryl Streep will co-star with Tommy Lee Jones, who is also writing, producing and directing the picture.

The Homesman is a period drama, odyssey that tells the story of a renegade claim jumper (Jones) who ushers a band of insane pioneer women from Nebraska to Iowa.

Tommy Lee Jones tells the Hollywood Reporter that he is “precisely” half way through pre-production on the film, which is scheduled to shoot in central and northern New Mexico over the next several months!

FYI: The Screen Actors Guild defines a Stand-In Background Actor as “used as a substitute for another actor for purposes of focusing shots, setting lights, etc., but is not actually photographed. Stand-Ins may also be used as general background.”

EXCLUSIVE: …Tommy Lee Jones has lined up his next directing vehicle, as he’s set to write and direct THE HOMESMAN, a period pic he’ll also produce and topline. Story follows a pioneer woman and a claim-jumping rascal of a man (Jones) who usher three insane women on an odyssey from Nebraska to Iowa. Jones made his directorial debut with the 1995 TNT telepic THE GOOD OLD BOYS, which starred Jones and his fellow Oscar winners Sissy Spacek and Frances McDormand, as well as an up-and-coming thesp named Matt Damon.

Whispers in the wind say that this Tommy Lee Jones helmed project is tentatively scheduled to shoot in New Mexico for three months starting this March!

Complimenting Jones’s writing, producing and directing it is exclusively being reported that acclaimed cinematographer/writer/director, Rodrigo Prieto (Argo, Brokeback Mountain, Babel, 21 Grams) has signed on as Director of Production.

AND if The Wrap’s exclusive report holds true, none other than Oscar winners, Meryl Streep and Hilary Swank will co-star!